MMA fighters and the gold medal of indomitable spirit.

Quang Van Minh and Tran Ngoc Luong shed tears. Members of the Vietnamese MMA team also teared up as the Vietnamese national anthem played at MMC Hall, the venue for the MMA competition at the 33rd SEA Games. As MMA fighters, they had all been waiting for this moment for a long time. In the first time MMA was included in the SEA Games, they had trained and fought for the moment to see the national flag raised high, accompanied by the stirring strains of the national anthem.

With his agile footwork, in the 60kg modern weight class final, Tran Ngoc Luong consistently dodged his opponent's punches before counter-attacking. Looking back at the match, he completely controlled the fight, unleashing a barrage of punches in the first round and then grabbing his opponent's back and subduing him in the second round to finish with a well-deserved victory.

Earlier, Quang Van Minh also defeated his Malaysian opponent by knocking him to the ground and repeatedly landing heavy punches, subsequently winning the 65kg modern weight class title.

Quang Van Minh's moment of victory. (Photo: Duc Cuong)

Before the finals, sitting in the stands cheering on his younger teammates, "undefeated" Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat said that the opportunity was for everyone. Clearly, this statement contained a great deal of respect for the opponents, as Ngoc Luong and Van Minh both had relatively easy performances. As the players themselves shared, they were superior to their rivals.

However, on their journey to the gold medal, MMA fighters not only face opponents but also overcome many other difficulties. For example, in the match on December 10th, fighter Pham Van Nam was forced to withdraw from the competition after a controversial defeat against a Thai fighter. Or, right before the finals, Duong Thi Thanh Binh, Ngoc Luong, and Van Minh had to undergo extremely tiring weight cutting.

"Until this morning, Luong had to cut weight until 9:30, then immediately travel to the competition venue," boxer Pham Van Nam shared with a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper. Normally, boxers need 36 hours to recover and compete, but Luong and his teammates didn't have that much time. They were forced to go straight to the ring.

Tran Ngoc Luong deservedly won the crown. Photo: Bui Luong

"As martial artists, it's tough, but we have to get used to it. Moreover, competing at the SEA Games, fighting with honor and pride, is incredibly fulfilling. We encourage each other to be determined and strive to bring glory to our country," Pham Van Nam said emotionally.

"Honestly, cutting weight was a nightmare and incredibly exhausting," Ngoc Luong shared, holding his gold medal. "However, I thought that I was competing under the flag of my country. When standing before the pride of representing my nation, everything else seems insignificant. Therefore, I had to try my best, overcome myself, and defeat my opponents."

It was the unwavering dedication and unwavering devotion to the red flag with a yellow star that led the MMA fighters to glory. A brilliant and well-deserved glory.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nhung-chien-binh-mma-va-tam-huy-chuong-vang-cua-tinh-than-bat-khuat-post1803806.tpo